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Carbonnade Flamande

Flemish beef stew, or carbonnades flamandes, is the national dish of
Belgium. Hearty and satisfying, this recipe takes less than two hours to
prepare, and is nice enough to serve for a sit-down family meal. Add a
crisp green salad, roasted potatoes, and a bottle of wine for a
spectacular feast worthy of an upscale auberge du terroir on a chilly
evening.

In a large bowl, toss together the beef, flour, salt, and pepper. In
a large saucepan over high heat, brown the beef in the canola oil and
butter. Carefully watch the beef to make sure it doesn’t burn, but give
it enough time to develop a nice, rich brown color – the caramelized
sugars will greatly enhance the stew’s flavor.

Add the onions, garlic, brown sugar, and herbs to the beef and stir
thoroughly. The onions will pick up a bit of the browned bits in the
bottom of the pan. Stir in the beer and add enough beef stock to cover
the beef in the pan. Cover the stew, reduce the heat to low, and simmer
for 1 ½ hour, until the beef is tender.

ABOUT ME

I started this blog post a few years ago to keep my friends posted on my family travel, from Canada to Europe to Australia. Since then it has grown into a blog about the things I love the most - musings on travel and cooking.